1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly, to a printer capable of controlling a power supply via a host.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a printer is usually left in an on-state when the printer is not in use. In the on-state, the printer starts a printing operation upon receipt of a selection command from a user. In the conventional printer, the power is constantly applied to at least a part or to the entire system of the printer, even if the printer is turned off.
Accordingly, power is unnecessarily consumed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printer capable of controlling a power supply via a host.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The above object is accomplished by providing a printer connected to a host via an interface having a data wire through which printing data is transmitted from the host and a power supply wire through which a voltage is applied from the host, the printer comprising a power supply portion for converting an external power to a driving power and supplying the driving power to the respective electronic components of the printer, a switch portion for determining whether to supply the driving power to the respective electronic components, and a controller capable of operating by the voltage applied through the power supply wire, for controlling the switch portion according to a transmission of the printing data through the data wire.
The controller controls the switch portion to stop supplying the driving power to the respective electronic components when the printing data is not transmitted for a predetermined time, when the respective electronic components do not operate for a predetermined time and when the voltage is not applied through the power supply wire.
Accordingly, the power supply to the printer is controlled via the host according to the transmission of the printing data from the host, and a power state of the host.